Hon. Mahama Ayariga, Member of Parliament for Bawku Central on his part, alluded to the fact that the issue at hand raises certain questions which have not been asked, therefore not answered, and Ghanaians can only find solution in the legislation, if these questions surrounding the GITMO 2 have been answered.

He said people use the word terrorists to describe the two, and it raises the questions as to whether it has ever been established that the two are terrorists, whether it is the position of Ghana that are either terrorists, ever been involved in acts of terrorism, or are likely to be involved in acts of same.

According to him, if we answer those questions as a nation, then we can find solutions in our legislation which is the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2008, in which the act section 35 provides power to prevent entry and order the removal of persons.

“The Director of Immigration or an Officer authorized by the Director shall not grant an endorsement or authority to permit a person to enter Ghana if there are reasonable grounds to suspect that the person is, will or has been involved in the commission of a terrorism act, as stated by the law”. He reiterated.

According to Hon. Ayariga, there is currently no evidence to show that, the two have or are attempting to do acts as described above.

The Guantanamo Bay detention camp is a United States military prison located within Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, also referred to as Guantánamo or GITMO which is on the coast of Guantánamo Bay in Cuba, with inmates detained indefinitely without trial and several inmates allegedly severely tortured, as a result of which the operations of this camp were considered to be a major human rights breach by Amnesty International.

The camp was established by President George W. Bush’s administration in 2002 during the War on Terrorism.

His successor, President Barack Obama, upon a promise that he would close it, and though met strong bipartisan opposition, with Congress passing laws to prohibit detainees from Guantanamo being imprisoned in the U.S reduced the number of inmates from about 245 to 41 During President Obama’s administration; with most former detainees freed and transferred to other countries.

Other contributors included (but not limited to) the Interior Minister, and Member of Parliament for Nandom Hon. Ambros Dery who on his part, faulted the NDC government for their part of that bilateral deal, and asked for a dispassionate approach to finding lasting solutions to the issue.

Hon. Dominic Ayine, Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga East also said that, since government is continuous, the current government should own the arrangement, causing the Speaker to intervene through a ruling that the Member cannot imply that because government is continuing, anything should be forced on it despite whatever state it is in.

The Honorable Defense Minister, Dominic Nitiwul on his part also blamed the ex-government for keeping Ghana in the dark, adding that even the interior Minister at the time did not know about the agreement (as alluded by himself).

He however assured Ghanaians that they are safe at the moment in relation to the GITMO 2.

The respective leaders of the House, the Majority and Minority backed the stance of the earlier contributors from both sides, before the house was adjourned.

 

Exclusively Newslinegh